This invention relates to an apparatus for placing of comestibles in a dispensing or extruding mechanism. More particularly, this invention relates to a barrel filling device for a hand-held electrified piston-type dispenser for viscous or pasty comestibles.
In the dispensing or extruding of comestibles such as cookie dough, icing or the like, it is desirable to have an apparatus that facilitates placing or filling of the comestible into the dispensing mechanism. One such dispensing mechanism utilizes a removable piston slidably and nonrotatably arranged in a barrel and urged to travel in the barrel by a rotatable piston rod externally threaded through a threaded hole in the piston. Such a mechanism is described and claimed in United States patent application Ser. No. 645,239, filed Dec. 29, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,033 and assigned to the assignee of this invention. Other dispensing mechanisms having a centrally located shaft in the barrel are also available. The user of such mechanisms has difficulty in filling and packing the barrel with the desired amount and density of comestibles due to the centrally located shaft. Such dispensing mechanisms thus present a problem in that it is desirable to have an apparatus that can efficiently be used to fill the dispensing mechanism with the desired amount of comestibles.
There exists a need, therefore, for an uncomplicated device, particularly suited for use with centrally shafted dispensing mechanisms, for placing comestibles in a dispensing mechanism easily and efficiently by an ordinary person without any particular mechanical skill, while permitting sanitary cleaning of the filler device.